Improvement in butter-presses



UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

WINFIELD s. ALEXANDER, OF MARYsvILLE, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUTTER-PRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. [86,224, dated January 16, 1877; application filed April 5, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WINFIELD S. ALEXAN- DER, of Marysville, county of Union, in the State of Ohio, have invented an Improved Butter-Press, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention has for its object the pressing of a certain given quantity of butter into a solid mass, upon the upper surface of which will appear prominences or indentations, di viding the said surface into a number or series of equal areas, so that, by a knife or other suitable tool, the given quantity inmass may be cut, on the lines of said dividing prominences or depressions, into blocks or rolls of equal size, and equal, or very nearly equal, weight; and my invention consists in the combination of parts and devices herein-5 after particularly set forth, and arranged to operate as specified.

Figure 1 is an end elevation of my improved butter-press. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central sectional elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a face view of the part having the mold for imprinting the butter under pressure.

A is a box or wall-piece, mounted on a table, B, and secured thereto by iron clamps or straps a, passing over the ends of the box and down through thetable, where they are drawn tight by nuts a, as shown, within the box A, and preferably made to fill the superficial area thereof is arranged thepressure-block 0, having on its under side the nut a, through which works the screw 0 which is mounted on a shaft, 0 having a bearing perpendicularly in the table, and provided with a hand-wheel, W, on the under side of the table, by which the screw is operated. The block 0 is recessed at 0' to permit the movement of the block upon the screw. Upon the upper face of the block 0 is arranged a board or slab, D, which fits snugly, but without friction, against the sides of the box A. E is the mold or printing-block, which is formed with the portion e upon its under face somewhat raised or projected above the other part of said face, the said raised portion corresponding in superficial area to, and adapted to fit snugly into, the open upper end of the box A, as shown in Fig. 2, where it is held socurely in place by the hinged clamp-straps e,

provided with the crank-screws e, as shown. Upon the raised portion e of the printingblock are formed depressions or projections, which divide the surface in a number or series of equal areas, as shown at 0 Fig. 3. These areas or spaces may have formed within them, upon the face of the block, letters or ornamental figures, either raised or depressed, as shown.

The operation of my machine is obvious. The slab D is placed upon the block 0, and said block is lowered on its screw to the bottom of the'box A. A certain given quantity of butter is then placed upon the board D, and the top piece or printing-block E is then secured in place. The wheel W is then turned, and, by the pressure thus exerted by the block (3, the butter is forced up against the board E, and caused to fill as a solid mass the entire space between the boards D and E. When this result is attained the board E is removed, and the wheel W turned until the board D is elevated above the walls of the box A. The board D will now sustain in a solid mass the pressed butter, and upon the upper surface of the butter will appear the lines of prominences or depressions imparted to it by the,portion e of the board E, dividing said surface into a number of equal areas. The pressed butter may now, by means of a suitable knife, K, conveniently mounted upon the table, be cut, as it lies upon the board D,

into blocks or rolls of equal size, and equal, or nearly equal, Weight, and such blocks or rolls will then be ready to be packed up for shipment and sale.

In packing butter in onepound or halfpound packages the great utility and convenience, as well as rapidity, of operation of my press are apparent.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of the frame A B, plunger (J, detachable board D, and printing-board E, with suitable devices for detachably holding the said board E in place, all constructed to operate as and for the purpose described.

WINFIELD S. ALEXANDER.

Witnesses:

' Z. TAYLOR ALEXANDER,

LEONIDAS PIPER. 

